In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old: playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places. But even her imaginative mind can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.
By turns achingly naive and utterly pragmatic, Carrie has been shaped by the loss of her beloved daddy and by a drunken stepfather and her emotionally absent mother. Charting an astonishing course of survival for herself and Emma, she hopes to transform their lives into one more closely resembling the storybooks she treasures.
But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn, and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.
Narrated with the simplicity and unabashed honesty of a child's perspective, Me & Emma is a vivid portrayal of heartbreaking loss of innocence, an indomitable spirit, and incredible courage, a story that will resonate with readers long after they've heard the final sentence.
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"I'm still reeling from the ending on this one. I went through the whole book expecting a typical child psychology ending- a happy ending I guess...where the abused children are finally rescued from their horrific circumstances... I almost feel chills as I remember reading that last chapter. Carrie and Emma are such sweethearts. I enjoyed seeing the way they looked at the world, especially as children in circumstances they didn't know could be any different. Read 2009 [appx. 6/30/09]"
—
Liz (5 out of 5 stars)